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Pack rat?

Ok... so today I decided to go on a cleaning frenzy.

Once every few months I go through all of my papers, files, drawers, storage etc. etc. and clear out what is no longer useful, old gifts I didn't like/use, and such.

I am incredibly organized. I have a special drawer for just about everything; in fact I have more storage space than I have stuff. I don't like to keep usless things... it simply drives me crazy to have junk lying around.

So I have a box and a half filled with clothes, jewelery, makeup, etc.etc. of things to give to goodwill.

ANYWAY, my point is that I DON'T keep stuff, I am NOT a pack rat.

But it's weird. Both my mother and my granny are MASSIVE pack rats. They keep EVERYTHING... and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I guess I avoided picking up that trait (thankfully).

I am wondering if YOU are a pack rat or not. How organized are you? What are your parents like? Were these habits/traits picked up from your upbringing, or did you develop them on your own?

My dad is, and pawned the trait off to my little brother. I have a bit of it, but I try hard to keep it off because that just means too much extra shit would be lying around. I used to keep everything, then one day when I was cleaning my room I realized that I saved the stuff because I thought it would be cool to have mementos from the most random shit, but really it was pointless.

Hmmm. For me, it varies depending on exactly what the stuff is. Old technology stuff I will never throw away. I have masses of shit like that from over 5 or 6 years ago, that will never ever be useful again. But I still keep them for some reason. I do have a specific (massive) draw for that stuff though.

Other stuff though? I'm pretty happy to just toss it away.

Actually, now that I think about it, there are quite a few boxes of stuff under the house with god only knows what in them...Maybe I am quite a hoarder after all. I still have boxes that haven't been opened in 4.5 years from two moves ago

quote:

Originally posted by idoru My dad is, and pawned the trait off to my little brother. I have a bit of it, but I try hard to keep it off because that just means too much extra shit would be lying around. I used to keep everything, then one day when I was cleaning my room I realized that I saved the stuff because I thought it would be cool to have mementos from the most random shit, but really it was pointless.

Well, I will admit that I have a "memory box" which contains things like old movie stubs, letters/cards people gave me, etc.

One of these days I want to get a "scrap book" and put all of it into the book in an organized fashion.

Although a lot of it is totally useless and takes up space, everything holds a "memory" that reminds me of things I did with certain people, and certain times of my life, which I value.

However, I think of that as being totally different to being a pack rat.

quote:

Originally posted by Sushipunk Hmmm. For me, it varies depending on exactly what the stuff is. Old technology stuff I will never throw away. I have masses of shit like that from over 5 or 6 years ago, that will never ever be useful again. But I still keep them for some reason. I do have a specific (massive) draw for that stuff though. Other stuff though? I'm pretty happy to just toss it away. Actually, now that I think about it, there are quite a few boxes of stuff under the house with god only knows what in them...Maybe I am quite a hoarder after all. I still have boxes that haven't been opened in 4.5 years from two moves ago

THAT would drive me nuts. I can't have stuff just hanging around. If it isn't being used, give it to good will. Don't keep useless shit.

I've kept my art portfolios from various classes, as well as my architecture portfolio.

Dunno why.

quote:

Originally posted by Theresa Well, I will admit that I have a "memory box" which contains things like old movie stubs, letters/cards people gave me, etc.

As do I. I was talking about just stuff in general. My "memory box" gets used for stuff that reeeeeeeeally means something to me.

Back when I was being a pack rat, I would keep at least one or two things from each day. My "memory box", however, only got touched once or twice a year. I think the last item that I put in it was from the beginning of this year.

quote:

Originally posted by Theresa THAT would drive me nuts. I can't have stuff just hanging around. If it isn't being used, give it to good will. Don't keep useless shit.

Yeah, I really should. Half of it is my gf's though, so we'd both have to go though it all and see just what the hell's in them all. There are maybe 15 or so boxes of stuff under there

Oh, I forgot. I'm still sort of a pack rat. I have every bottle cap from every bottle of Bawls I've consumed, I keep the ticket stub from each event (even movies) I go to, and I keep the bottle caps from nifty bottles of Root Beer and such. That's it, and they all go in a small little box. Though, I don't know if that'd be considered a pack rat.

quote:

Originally posted by idoru Oh, I forgot. I'm still sort of a pack rat. I have every bottle cap from every bottle of Bawls I've consumed, I keep the ticket stub from each event (even movies) I go to, and I keep the bottle caps from nifty bottles of Root Beer and such. That's it, and they all go in a small little box. Though, I don't know if that'd be considered a pack rat.

May I ask exactly what a bottle of 'Bawls' is

quote:

Originally posted by Sushipunk May I ask exactly what a bottle of 'Bawls' is

http://www.bawls.com

My favorite bevarage.

quote:

Originally posted by idoru http://www.bawls.com My favorite bevarage.

Ok cool. Does it taste good? And more importantly, is it pronounced 'Balls' like I assumed?

i have a bunch of crap in my closet.
i was actually thinking about cleaning it out a few days ago

quote:

Originally posted by Sushipunk Ok cool. Does it taste good? And more importantly, is it pronounced 'Balls' like I assumed?

I love it. I can't really describe the taste. A friend of mine says it tastes like a fruity sprite, but I don't think so.

Yeah, it's pronounced 'balls.' It's fun to joke about the first couple of times, but they get old fast.

quote:

Originally posted by idoru I love it. I can't really describe the taste. A friend of mine says it tastes like a fruity sprite, but I don't think so. Yeah, it's pronounced 'balls.' It's fun to joke about the first couple of times, but they get old fast.

But to me it's new! You were drinking balls!!!111!

And now I'll let it go

And the c0r threadjack ensues.

I'm only a pack rat with my books and my magazines .... most of my magazines are art stuff and they cost an arm and a leg ( like 18 dollars an issue ) so they aren't the type I just throw away

yeah, i'm only a packrat on some things. my ma is a huge packrat....i mean, she still has bills and paystubs and stuff from like the 80s ["you never know when you're gonna need this stuff!!!" she always says]. sucks cause when she moved from a house to a condo, the amount of stuff did NOT decrease, only the living space. ugh.

thank God we have computers. otherwise i'd have mulitple boxes of pictures and videotapes.

sentimental shit i save. like i have about 4 boxes of stuff i've saved from over the years. things from europe, college, spring break, road trips, elementary school, etc... its fun to look at every once in awhile.

but then again i wonder sometimes, wouldn't it just be easier if i didn't have all this extra shit?

quote:

Originally posted by tubularbills sentimental shit i save. like i have about 4 boxes of stuff i've saved from over the years. things from europe, college, spring break, road trips, elementary school, etc... its fun to look at every once in awhile. but then again i wonder sometimes, wouldn't it just be easier if i didn't have all this extra shit?

one day your kids will go through it and keep some of it cause it was from back in the day when daddy was cool


I went through my dads boxes long time ago ( bit difficult considering he grew up in another country than where I lived most of my life ) and I took a thing or two ( a studio taken baby picture of his and some other stuff which I lost ( forgot what it was )

Re: Pack rat?

quote:

Originally posted by Theresa

i thought u lived in a box

I have this problem. Everything to me seems to have a purpose and I want to keep it , which results in clutter and mess (mostly closet and drawers). I have 2, 3 boxes of " memories" shit that I will more than likely never put in the garbage.

I go through my drawers and closets with the purpose to clean them and I do end up throwing some shit away but usually all I do is reorganize my clutter until the next time it gets too messy.


I don't know where I get it from. Both my mom and my grandmother were sooo not pack rats, in fact my mom still bugs me about it.

I'm pretty organized when it comes to my everyday life. Huge messes usually drive me bananas so I tend not to make them but they do happen.

heh i have things i keep. very few though. overall i dont have anything that means much to me in a "memories" type place. i only JUST got a digital camera 3 months ago. never owned a camera myself before that. im not super sentimental but if it means something to me then it raelly means a lot. i was never really a packrat although i did keep some useless things. then i got kicked out and for the past 3 years i have kept my junk to bare minimum.

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